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Minimal Run Vest for training
Looking for suggestions for a minimal light weight run vest. Maybe a soft flask or two, place to hold a bar, couple pockets for phone or keys, money, etc., place to store a clothing layer if I need to strip it. Think a 2-2.5 hour run. Correct, I probably don't need to carry all that shit for a 2hr run, but what it I wanted to
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Vests are individual "fit" items , IOW most important to me is how it fits . I have a minimum ultra aspire vest , my only problem with it is , I dont like soft flasks in front. My minimal vest of choice is the Orange Mud Single Bottle on the back. I also like the Orange Mud 1 liter bladder. Plans are to try a new Salomon which I will configure with a 1 liter bladder as opposed to the soft flasks. Its definitely worth owning a few anyway.
Thanks @tim cronk
I hear you on it being a "fit" thing. I'd like to find a brand/system that works for me now, so I can start testing different configurations months before race day. I usually run/ride so minimally so to have mandatory gear that much be carried is super foreign to me. Even if it's a 2 hour run I'd like to start wearing a way scaled down version of the ultimate race vast so by the time race day comes the vest is as invisible feeling as underwear
Thanks again for your 2 cents.
Since you are in Europe, did you look to the kalenji products ? We now have Decathlon in Canada and I now buy everything from that store.
Not expensive, tough and nice looking
I have three Salomon running vest -- a light, medium, and heavy. Great products. The game changer that I think differentiates Salomon from other running vests is the Quiver for trekking poles. Might be worth checking out to see how the Salomon vests fit you.
@Gabe Peterson wondering if the quiver can be rigged to other vests? ingenious idea. on a seperate note, where is a trail running newbie best directed to read up on technique (pole usage) and other backcountry running sites? Depending on snowpack, i plan on doing a fair bit of trail running this winter both in VT and at home.
@scott dinhofer I runner I chatted with at the start of Wasatch had attached the quiver to his non-Salomon vest. I didn't see him again, so don't know how it worked out. I think you could. It has two hooks that attach to loops on the Salomon vest. You could use a cord to tie it to your vest.
So I decided on the Salomon S-Lab 5. I tried the Salomon, UD, and Nathan's vests and the Salomon just felt the most comfortable. Not sure I love the soft flasks, but I'll get used to it I guess.
@Patrick Large I am certainly no trail expert but have run a couple seasons with the S-lab. I think it fits great, and have never had any chafing spots no matter how loaded down it was. Most runs I have the soft flask "boobs" up front. I like that they shrink when you drink out of them and take up less space. I also have a bladder that I put in the backack for longer efforts. I did have a problem on one of their "large" packs that the boobs would keep falling out (on Rat Jaw mind you) if the bungee wasn't securing them.
@Patrick Large I dont like soft flasks, so I just put real 500ML water bottles, and it fits... but again, I dont use the Salomon S-Lab 5, but my vest is comptatible with the salomon flasks.. so you might wanna give a try.
Just dont put coke in these bottle because the cap will just explode and you will be full of coke (real story hah)
Thanks @Francis Picard and @Jeff Horn
My idea, especially with this smaller pack is to use it often even if it isnt needed to get it all dialed in. So yes for a 70:00 run in the forest I will probably load up the flasks and stuff some gear into it to get the feel of it loaded up and experiment with water bottles etc..